Extensible battery cell holder for electric lanterns



Aug. 21, 1945. w. M. MoxLEY EXTENSIBLE BATTERY CELL HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC LANTERNS Filed Feb. 23, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1A Ira-2:1-

Inv vlllllilnillllilfnln Aug. '21, 1945. w. M MoxLEY EXTNSIBLE BATTERY CELL HOLDE FOR ELECTRIC LANTERNSv Filed Feb. 23, 1944 2 .Sheets-Sheet v2 v v` W l 7546254 ,f il

BY I

AORIVEY Patented Aug. 21., 1945 f i UNITED f STATES PAT EXTENSIBLE BATTERY CELL HoLDEitEoR` i ELECTRIC LANTERNs u "3 l. i l William M. Moxley, `intrisa`--,C`ity',1imi.l A

Application February 23, 1944,serialwNogszasor f `c Claims. (C1. 24o-10.63) J "liv'he primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery assembly unit adapted to laccommodate varying lengths/of batteries or dry cells, or groups of the same, while still ensuring emcient electrical connection between the Yseveral dry cells and the light bulbs ofthe lantern. l In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view on line n I-I of FigQS, of an electric lantern constructed in ac-f` c'ordanoe withhthe invention, n f n Fig'. 2` is a partial horizontal sectional view,` on

line 2 2 of Fig.` 1 with the :battery cells in sec-` tionand showing the bottom member of the cell carrier, in plan. l

"Fig.'3is a plan view of the top memberbof the cell carrier, looking downward from the plane of line33 in Fig. 1. ,i l n Fig. 4 is alfragmentary transverse sectional j lantern bottom on line 4-4 of view through the Fig. 3.`

Fig.` 5 is a. fragmentary sectional view on line b 5-5of Fig. 1.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A11-ofthe eiecmc nntems with whichi familiar are so constructed as to take a standard f and thehelad 21 Ibeingof asize to bear upon web I6. vA thumb piece 29 provides means for turning the screw 25.` 'I'he battery cells are indicated at 30 and it will be understood that "in accordance 5 with common practice each alternate `cell is in-` verted so that the positive endlof one cell is reversed with respect t"o` the positive end of the"` next cell. Thus, la series connection may fbe `ef` fected `throughout the` tom element of the `carrier is connected by a `contact strip`3l withnthe metallic head28of screw 26, and this head is,

15' terminals of the carrier assembly. "Thus,`the

size battery of asingle length and since there are a number of different sized battery cells the mar et, it follows `that the dealer must carry a `num r of different sizes in stock tot the varif ous lanterns. Further, theuser is frequently in doubt as totheproper length of cell needed for his lantern if he does not happentobhave the* lantern or an 'old cell with him at thetime of purchase of newcells. By the use of the adjust` able cell carrier herein shown and described, the lantern 'is `rendered adjustable as to `the length of battery cell required for its use.

'Ihe lantern proper comp-rises a body y5, legs 6, a' cover 'I anda handle 8. The battery `cell carrier comprises a :bottom that is made up` of `aV lower web 3 of insulating material and an upper web I0, also of insulating material, "These webs are united by rivets II and they carry four metallic Contact studs I2, I3, I4 and I5. "The top member ofthe carrier Vcomprises a lower insulating web I6 and an upper insulating web I1. The lower web I6 carries the four contact studs I 8,

I3, and 2I and the webs I6 and I1 are tied together by rivets 22.

The web standing sleeve 23 `into which -a 24 of web I6 telescopes. A male screw 25 engages in the female screw 2S to draw their respective heads 21 and' 28 toward each other, the head 28 being shouldered to `engage beneath theweb 3 I 0 carries an updepending sleeve b sembly t through' a Contact stripes to n tact' strip35 to contact 2|,

, through the last batterycell n 5' `I 5,* j-This contact stud I5 is provided with a spring contact 36 constitutir'xgthe other terminal of the tact lf2", 'one battery cell to contact` Ipthence contact I9, `thence W downwardly through 4anotherjbattery,`cell 30 to thence throughcontactstrip 3|I` to Olitec la,

battery cell to contact 2U, thence through conthence downwardly 30 to contact stud carrierassembly.` I preferably embrace all of the battery cells with a strapj3l having a buckle 38 which'holdsthe cells `in place while the assembly is beingplaced in the assembly body and to further aid in;po`sitioning the cells. The sides ofthe sleeve 23 are )provided with concave recesses 23a. To furtherinsure that the various upper contacts ,will be `properly positioned with respect to the tened,` las indicated at 24a so `that the upperand lower Contact carrying webs are forced to lie in definite circumferential position around the lantern body. Any suitable means may be employed 0 for holdingthe assembly in the lantern body and for holdingthe cover 1 in place. One-such means is illustrated `in my Patent #2,315,726. The plate Illa of the accompanying drawings corresponds to the platey I0` `of the aforesaid patent. "This "plate rests upon the top" of the carrier assembly and is provided with thumb pieces IIIa by `which the plate may be turned. When so turned inclined cams I3a having notched upper faces ride under fixed studs I2a carried by the lantern body, these camsacting to force the plate downwardly. The specific structure of this retainer is not part of the lpresent invention, it having been made the subject of my aforesaid patent. It is illustrated las showing one means of holding the asin place.

ENT-i; OFF! CE r n block or group `of lcells.` 10` One of the'cont'act blocks, to wit, I2 ofthe botn in tum, provided `with a1 u spring Contact arm 32 constituting one of the 'thence upwardly through another lowereoritact's the side of the s1eeve"24`is flat# `rivets 45.

"spring contact 36.

- is: o y

`1. The combination Awith an ,electric lantern The metallic bottom of the lantern is indicated at 39 and it carries conventional lamp sockets 40. A plate 4| of insulating material is riveted to the lantern bottom by rivet 42 and thisrivet establishes electrical connection between the lantern bottom and the lamp sockets, upon the one hand and the contact 32, upon the other hand. When the lamp bulbs 43 are screwed into the sockets their conventional centering contacts 44 engage These rivets secure a metallic contact ring 46 upon the upper face lof the insulating plate 4I. Thus, the lamp bulbs themselves serve as switches. In otherv/ords, a bulb is lighted by being screwed into its socket and is extinguished by being unscrewed from its socket. Either :bulb may be lighted without the other, the circuit` being from contact 32, rivet 42, lantern bottom 39 to a lamp socketthence through the bulb and its center contac't to a rivet 45, contact ring -46 to The invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but it includes within its purview-whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the .spirit of the appended claims. Thebattery cells` may be Varied in number, ways other than those Shown may be employed for moving the upper and lower contactcarrying members toward and fromeach other, all Within the scope of this patent.

l-I- Iaving described my invention, what I claim body comprising a casing and a cover for the same, of a carrier for battery cells dimensioned to be-mounted therein, said carrier comprising upper and lower\heads,.rne'ans constituting a part of and bodily movable withthe carrier for moving said headstoward and from each other and a plurality of contact members carried by each oi, said heads positioned to be-engaged by battery cells clamped between said heads, means movable bodilyvvith the carrier for holding the upper and lower heads from turning with respect toleach other as they `are moved towardv and from each other,'a plurality of light bulbs carried upon .the

underside of the lantern body, contact members with which said light bulbs are engaged, additional contact members carried by. and bodily movable with the carrier, positioned to engage the said contact members of the bulbs and meansr carried by the lantern body for bodily thrusting the carrier as awhole toward the contact'members of the-bulbs. y l

2. The combination with an electric `lantern body comprising a casing anda cover for the same, ofa carrier Afor battery cells dimensioned to be mounted therein, said carrier comprising upper and lower heads, means constituting a part of and bodily movable with the carrier for moving said heads toward and from each other and `a plurality of contact members carried by each of said heads positioned to be engaged by battery cells `clamped between said heads, means moveach other, a lamp socket upon the lantern body, a bulb therein, a contact member adapted to be engaged by the center contact of the bulb, a second contact member having electrical connection with the lantern body and two spring contacts depending from the under-side of the battery cell carrier and constituting the terminals of the electrical contacts carried by said carrier, said spring contacts makingvcontact, when the carrier is in place, with the aforesaid contacts of the lantern body and bulb and means carried by the lantern body for bodily thrusting the carrier as a whole lengthwise of the lantern body to bring the depending` contacts of the carrier into firm engagement with the contacts of the lantern body v and bulb.

3. A battery cell carrier for electric lanterns' n comprising spaced upper and lower heads of insulatingymaterial, a group of metallic contacts carried by each of said heads, telescoping sleeves carried lby said heads, a malescrew'engagedtwith one oflsaid heads,va female screw engaged withv the other ofsaid heads, said screwsengaging-with prising an upper1 head and a lower head,.feachf head, in turn, comprising apair of horizontally disposed webs, one above the otheray plurality-.ofr contact studs carried byzthe-lower web'lofgthe upper head and the-upper web of the'lower head,v sleeves having telescopic engagement1withteach:

other, projecting from said heads, theoutermost v sleeve being channeled to provide recessesfor the able bodily with the carrier for holding the upper 'and `lower heads from turning with vrespect to each other as they are moved toward and from reception of conventional battery cells, said sleeves being -so shapedas to prevent turning movement of the upper head with respect to the.

lower head and a male `and femalescrew connector extending through ksaid sleeves and'bearing upon said heads in a mannery to draw:` them together. r

6. A battery carrier `iorelectric lanternscom-'iy prising an upper head vandl alower1head,each

head, in turn, comprising a pair of` horizon ally3` disposed webs, one above the other`a' `plurality of contact studs carried by thel lower web JOfSthe upper head and theupper web of the: lower head,`

sleeves having telescopic engagement with each other, projecting from saidheadsfthe outermostl sleeve being channeled toy provide recesses for the` reception of conventional` battery cells,` said sleeves being so shaped as to prevent turning movement of the` upper, headvvith respect-to thei lower head kand -a male and female Vscrew'connector extending through said sleeves` and bear-`` ing upon said heads Vin a manner to .draw-them,y

together, lmeans for. electrically. connecting-one of the contact studs of the lowerhead with said l screw and a depending spring contact'carried-by said screw. l 

